Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File R. 3952, Chambers Gaw, Penn.

SERVICE
NUMBER
Persin
Law Chambers
R 3952
Bonin N. J.
CONTENTS

Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832.
State of Pennsylvania City & County of Philad. a
On this 5 th day of July A.D. 1837 personally appeared in open court before the district  Court  of common Pleas  for the City & County of Philad. a now sitting, Chambers Saw a resident of the city of Philad. a in the state of Pennsylvania who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832. I was born at Princeton Somerset County New Jersey on the 17 th of January 1761. My Father removed to Philad. a in the year 1767 and I went with the family. The record of my age was contained in our family bible but it was lost at the time the British overrun New Jersey being then in the hands of my elder Brother. I was living in the city of Philad. a when I was called into service and with the exception of a few years when I was absent I have generally lived in the City of Philad. a since I came to it - I now live there. I went into the service of my Country as a volunteer in the fall of the year 1776. when New Jersey was overrun by the enemy and all the able bodied men that could be mustered were sent to camp Old men & Boys were enrolled and performed duty as guardians of the city it having no better defence at that time I was of that number and then about 16 years old I performed military duty at the magazine & military stores and at the prison in Walnut St. where prisoners of war were confined. I cannot distinctly state how long we were employed nor do I now recollect the names of the Officers under whom I served. The ensuing year we were driven from our homes by the British taking possession of Philad. a and the family with whom I lived took refuge in New Jersey. In June 1778 the enemy evacuated Philad. a I was then in New Brunswick and marched with the militia of that place as a volunteer in pursuit of them and remained in the service until some time after the

battle of Monmouth when the enemy quit the state of New- Jersey I was enrolled a volunteer being still a minor in the regiment commanded by Col Nelson & Major Van Emburg the Company I was in was commanded by Capt Thompson & Lieut. Guest these are the only Officers whose names I remember In 1779 I was regularly enrolled in the militia of Philad. and in the summer of 1780 I was drafted into service in Col. Wills' regiment Major Pancake & Adjutant Shrupp were out with us Capt John Barker (late Major Genl John Barker of the Penn a militia) was our Captain and Lieut Millard & ensign Star were in the draft we went by water to Trenton and were encamped in the neighbourhood of that place under expectation of orders to march on towards the enemy we remained there until some time in the fall when we re- turned to Philad. a and here were discharged Genl Joseph Reed commanded the expedition. It was in this year that the French fleet arrived at Rhode Island I never re- ceived a discharge from the service I was drafted on this last service as a militia man and when we returned here we were discharged as is usual with the militia who go out in Oland right about face and go home. I have sought in vain for some creditable witness whose testimony I could obtain to prove my services as above stated but death has removed all those who were known to me I am known to many of the most respectable citizens of Philad. a but par- ticularly refer to the rev d Ashbel Green D.D. for many years pastor of the 2 d Presbyterian Church of Philad. a and for se- veral years one of the Chaplains to Congress while sitting in Phil a also to Robt Smith Esq r who was a revolutionary officer and is an elder of the abovenamed Church of which I am a member who can testify as to my character for ve- racity and their belief of my services as above stated.
I do hereby relinquish every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and I do declare that my name is not on the pen- sion roll of any State. I would refer the department to my deposition given about 1833 in the case of John Donville &

Reuben Topham who were in Capt. Parkers company with me and who obtained pensions the above persons are both deceased and therefore I cannot get their testimony.)
Sworn and subscribed in open Court July 5. 1837
Geo. Norton pro Prot.
Chambers Gass
I Ashbel Green a clergyman residing in the City of Philad: formerly pastor of the 2 d Presbyterian Church of said City and formerly Chaplain to Congress do hereby certify that I am and have been for many years well acquainted with Chambers Gass who has subscribed and sworn to the above declaration that I believe him to be 76 years of age that he is a man of character for veracity in the City where he resides and I have no doubt of the truth of this statement of his to be a soldier of the revolution and that I concur in that opinion.
Sworn & Subscribed the day & year aforesaid in open Court Geo: Norton pro Prot.
Ashbel Green
I Robert Smith of the City of Philad: formerly a merchant of said City, and during the revolutionary war an officer in the Army do hereby certify that I am well acquainted with Chambers Gass who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration that I believe him to be 76 years of age that he is a member of the 2 d Presbyterian Church of Philad: of which I am an elder that the said Chambers Gass is a man of veracity and that he is reputed & believed in the City where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and I concur in that opinion.
Sworn & Subscribed this 5 th day of July 1837 in open Court Geo: Norton
Robert Smith
And the said Court do hereby declare their opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories presented by the war department that the above applicant was a revolutionary soldier and served as he states and the Court further certifies that it appears

to them that the Rev d Ashbel Green D.D. who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman resident in the city of Phila a and that Rob t Smith who has also signed the same is a resident in the said city is a creditable person and that their statement is entitled to credit.
Edward King J. Richter Jones
Robert Morris I Herbert L. Lewis notary public of the United States Court of the City & County of Phila a do hereby certify that the foregoing contain the original proceedings of the said court in the matter of the application of Chambers Gaw for a pension.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this 5 th day of July A.D. 1887.
Robert Morris Notary
V 34.106 Chambers Gaw Pennsylvania

July 14
Chas. Law B. St. Joseph's
[Handwritten signature]
James L. Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pensions, City of Washington.

Philad. a - July 11. th 1837.
Dr. Sir:
At the instance of Mr. Chambers Gaw, of this city, who served as a private in Capt. Barker's Company of Penn. a Militia, during the revolutionary war, I beg leave to enquire whether the evidence which established the claim to pension of Reuben Topham, of said company, exhibited the period of service of said Topham to be six months or more.
Mr. Gaw, who claims to be placed upon the list also, states that he is confident he served as long in said company as Mr. Topham, besides serving, in the revolutionary struggle, short periods, in other companies, and is desirous to be placed, at least, on the same footing which Mr. Topham was - as he is now in his 77. th year, entirely out of employment, and with an interesting family to support.
Your answer is respectfully solicited.
Very truly yours
(Athan. s Ford.)
James L. Edwards Esq. Commissioner of Pensions, Washington.

Acts of July 14, 1862, and March 3, 1873.
2952
P. O.
Charles Grew
Service: _____
Enlisted: _____ REJECTED _____, 18
Discharged: _____, 18
Application filed: _____, 18
Alleges: _____
Re-enlisted: _____
Attorney: _____
P. O. _____
_____ Recognized. _____ Contract.
_____ Cert. of Dis. Searched for _____, 18

V Chambers Gap Pennsylvania
Rejected
See letter 8 July 1837 to T. B. in kind of See letter to A. Ford July 12 1837. to Hon. G. W. Tolson
Feb 17. 1838.
did not serve six months.

From W. H. W. T. and Aug 25, 188
Mr. [unclear] 188
Person Office
J. L. [unclear] Esq.
395 I

Sir,
I have received a petition of Chambers Gann of Philad a . asking for a pension. Mr. Gann refers to documents on file in the Pension Office as sustaining his claim. Will you have the goodness to send me copies of these documents to be presented with the petition of Mr. Gann to the House of Representatives.
Yours Resp d Yost
George W. Toland.
Jan. 25. 1837.
J. L. Edwards Esq
Com. of Pensions.

8 JUL 17 P Jm at Mr. Allman
24
J. L. Edwards Esq
Commissioner of Pensions War Department City of Washington, Dist. of Col a .

Phil. July 6. 1837.
J. L. Edwards Esq Commissioner of Pensions
Dear Sir
Permit me to transmit to your department and for your consideration, the application of a worthy and respectable citizen of this place whose declining years render it necessary that he should apply for aid to his country. I know him to be an excellent and worthy man deserving in all respects of the favour he solicits. Pensions were granted to John Dorrille and Reuben Topham who served in the same company with him as I am informed. If any further proof is requisite I should be thankful to hear from your department
I am very respectfully yours &
Thomas Bradford Jun Atty at Law Wm Sansom Esq Phil.